Secrets & Love

Chapter 24: Joshua

TW:

EXSESIVE DRINKING

SEXUAL CONTENT

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    Her room was empty this morning. Where would she have gone? She wont answer her phone, there was no trace of where she could have gone to. No one has heard from her. What if she got hurt, what if someone took her. This is all my fault. No. It's my mothers.

    "It's all your fault," I yelled at my mom when I knew Ava was gone.

    "I did no such thing. It was her choice to leave. I didn't even want her here in the first place," she argued back, not even giving a care in the world to the person who's been in my life, our life, for the past month. "She would have been gone within the next few days anyways, her stay was way overdue."

    "How could you be so cruel? She needs our help!"

    "She doesn't need our help. She could have stayed at the hospital like the homeless people do," she shrugged off her words, but they only fueled my anger.

    "And what would she do when she's thousands of dollars in medical debt and has no place to go? She's 16 years old, with no family."

    "There's foster care or group homes."

    "You know how messed up those places are, she's already had enough trauma."

    "And that's my fault because?" she finally looked up from the papers on her desk, at this point my mind had felt like exploding.

    My father had finally come in on the commotion, at this point he must be tired of coming in between me and my mother. It's been like this for a long time. More so when Ava came along. No one knows why she's been so.. Mean.

    "Son, how about you go take a walk, let me and your mother talk for a bit." he said calmly but firmly as he always does.

    I took his words and left. Out the door, out to the street. It was cold out as the spring just began here in New Orleans. There's something about today that makes it seem colder. Even if I wore no jacket, only a t-shirt and jeans, something felt colder than the freezing wind. If she was out here, she must be freezing, especially with chilling fog in the air that lingered with moisture that would make you shiver to the bone.

    The last I heard from her was the sound of her sobbing behind the door. The look in her eye was burned into my brain. Her face of hurt, pain, as if she were looking at a complete stranger. Like she didn't know who I was. It was the last time I saw her, now I'm eager to get her back. Make sure she is safe, warm, happy.

    I found myself in a neighborhood that I never thought I would be in again. Going to a house I thought I would never step foot in again. A face that I rather slam to the ground than see again. But here, I surprise myself walking up the steps to a smaller version of my own home, pounding on the door.

    "Where is she?" I said as soon as I saw him. He was only in a pair of sweatpants that hung low enough to show the band of his boxers.

"Where is who?" Asher snarled. He knew when and how to get on my nerves.

"Ava. I know she's here, now where is she?"

"She's not here, so it would be better if you just leave," without a thought, i barged in, pushing him to the side. I need to find her. I have to.

"I said you can't be here," he came yelling after me before slamming me against the wall. His arm against my neck, keeping me in place while I fought a small amount I had in me.